Excel Pie Chart ( Table of Contents )
Pie Chart in Excel
Pie Chart in Excel is used for showing the completion or main contribution of different segments out of 100%. It is like each value represents the portion of the Slice from the total complete Pie. For Example, we have 4 values A, B, C and D. A total of them is considered 100 either in percentage or in number; there any value A would have its own contribution towards the completion of Pie formation, which is shown as Pie Chart.
How to Make Pie Chart in Excel?
Pie Chart is very simple to use. Let us now see how to make Pie charts in Excel with the help of some examples.
Example #1 – 2D Pie Chart in Excel
Look into the first example here. I have a top ten country population percentage over the world population. The first column contains a country name, and the second column contains the population percentage.
We need to show this in a graphical way. I have chosen a PIE CHART to represent slices of PIE.
Follow the below steps to create your first PIE CHART in Excel.
Step 1: Do not select the data; rather, place a cursor outside the data and insert one PIE CHART. Go to the Insert tab and click on a PIE.
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Step 2: once you click on a 2-D Pie chart, it will insert the blank chart as shown in the below image.
Step 3: Right-click on the chart and choose Select Data.
Step 4: once you click on Select Data, it will open the below box.
Step 5: Now click on the Add button.
it will open the below box.
In the Series Name, I have selected the heading as a percentage.
In the Series Values, I have selected all the countries percentage values ranging from B2 to B11.
Step 6: Click on OK.
Step 7: Now click on the Edit option.
Step 7: Here, we need to select the values that we need to show horizontally. Horizontally we need to show all the countries names. Countries names are ranging from A2 to A11.
Step 8: Now, finally click on, OK.
Your PIE CHART is ready.
Step 9: This is not yet the fully finished chart. We need to do some formatting to it. First, change the heading of the chart.
Click on the heading
and type your heading.
Step 10: Now, right-click on one of the slices of the pie and select add data labels.
This will add all the values we are showing on the slices of the pie.
Step 11: You can expand each pie differently. Right-click on the pie and select Format Data Series.
Step 12: Now, you can expand the Pie Explosion according to your wish.
Step 13: Now, your chart ready to rock.
In this way, we can present our data in a PIE CHART makes the chart easily readable.
Example #2 – 3D Pie Chart in Excel
Now we have seen how to create a 2-D Pie chart. We can create a 3-D version of it as well. For this example, I have taken sales data as an example. I have a sale person name and their respective revenue data.
Step 1: Select the data to go to Insert, click on PIE, and select 3-D pie chart.
Step 2: Now, it instantly creates the 3-D pie chart for you.
Step 3: Right-click on the pie and select Add Data Labels.
This will add all the values we are showing on the slices of the pie.
Step 4: Select the data labels we have added and right-click and select Format Data Labels.
Step 5: Here, we can so many formatting. We can show the series name along with their values, percentages. We can change these data labels’ alignment to center, inside end, outside end, Best fit.
Step 6: Similarly, we can change the color of each bar, change the legends space, adjust the data label show etc.… Finally, your chart looks presentable to the reader or the user.
Advantages:
- Large data can be presented by using the Pie Chart in Excel.
- With the help of each slice bar, we can easily compare one with another.
- Easy and no need to explain it to the end-user. It is understandable by any means.
Disadvantages:
- Fitting data labels in the case of smaller values is very difficult. It will overlap with other data labels.
- If there are too many things to show, it will make the chart look ugly.
Things to Remember
- Do not use 3D charts quite often. 3D chart significantly distorts the message.
- Instead of using legends, try to show them along with the data labels. This will be very much understandable to the users.
- Use a different color for each slice and make the chart look beautiful to watch.
- Try to explore each slice by a maximum of 8%. Do not go beyond that threshold limit.
- If the labels are fewer, less we can compare easily with the other slices. If there are too many values, try using a column chart instead.
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